About Cae Newydd
Created from 2002, an exposed 2.5acre south facing field, into an informal country garden which overlooks Llyn Alaw with outstanding panoramic views of Snowdonia. Various shaped island beds are planted with a wide variety of interesting shrubs, grasses and perennials suitable for surviving the conditions – wind all year, wet mainly in Spring and clay soil. 700 native trees were planted as a shelter belt. There is an emphasis on wildlife throughout the whole garden, many varieties of verbena, buddleias, etc to attract butterflies and areas left uncultivated allow nettles and bindweed to flourish.
The large wildlife pond has naturalised well and there are meadow areas with cut grass paths. The raised bed garden has been enclosed with a rabbit-proof fence and windbreak to cope with the diverse weather conditions. Within this area is a polytunnel used for germinating, growing on seeds and young plants as well as growing crops. There is a large paved area near the house with formal pond and fountain, with raised beds and phormiums in pots against house walls.
The sheltered mature paddock garden with ‘woodland walk’, slate mulched shrub border and large pond is a haven for birds, bees and butterflies. Within this garden is a walled former pig-sty,originally laid out as a small town garden with gravel paths, providing additional shelter for many interesting plants. A greenhouse houses a collection of fuchsias and pelargoniums There is also an outside conservatory where there are yet more pelargoniums, both at the growing stage and cuttings stage.
New in 2017 was a much larger greenhouse for succulents and cacti as well as a soil bed for growing more tender plants i.e. salvia. There is a large gravel area in front of the conservatory where plants are allowed to seed around as well as having a diverse collection of plants in pots and sinks. A 2 acre hay meadow has cut paths so you can wander around and through it to admire the diverse grasses and take a close look at the extensive areas of yellow rattle, two bee hives were added to this area late 2022.